Mission Statement
As a student run publication,
our goal is to entertain, educate
and inform the campus, while
also providing an opportunity for
students to develop and enhance
their journalistic skills. We strive to
promote balanced reporting, while
offering a platform for students to
share opinions and concerns with
the student body.

The newspaper office is located in the
Student Activities Center, room 205. You
can reach us at 678-466-5436.

2

Campus

Campus
CSU Gets New Addition — East Campus
By John Zinko
Managing Editor
jzinko@benttreenews.org
Many students may have noticed signs
posted all over campus pointing to a
mysterious place called CSU East. Some
have ignored the signs, while others have
asked the question “What is CSU East?”
CSU East is located near main campus but on Trammel Road. The trip from
campus takes 10 minutes by car and 25
minutes on foot. Parking is limited, due
to construction.
The building used to be the Atlanta
Bible College, but was recently purchased
by Clayton State University to contain the
overflow of classes due to the growth of
the campus.
There are 13 classes being held in CSU
East — two on Mondays and Wednesdays
and eleven on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The building is open from 9:30 a.m. –
9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
“It’s a small parking lot, I get here
about an hour early,” said Jade Green,
a junior who is studying psychology with
Dr. Gannon in CSU East.“There are mostly
health classes in CSU East,” said Mystical Studaway, CSU East student assistant. “Next month, Continuing Education
classes will be moved into the building.”
There is also an office for ROTC officers stationed inside CSU East for those
interested in enlisting in U.S. Forces.
To prevent students from walking on

casey scarborough/The bent tree

CSU East, about a 25-minute walk from the dorms, holds 13 classes.
Other improvements are also scheduled for CSU East.
the busy streets of Harper Drive and Rex
Road, CSU built a sidewalk connecting to
a preexisting walkway that connects CSU
East to parking lot E near the Facilities
Management building.
This new walkway has been met with
some hesitation though. “I’ve heard of
the path but I’m afraid to walk it, even in
daylight,” said Green.
The newly paved sidewalk behind
CSU East connects to a wooden plank
path with what looks like a security

fence on either side. The chain link fence
is upwards of eight feet with lines of
barbed wire across the top to prevent
potential intruders from entering the path.
There are also flood lights and security
cameras every few feet or so to allow
night walking.
There is a second building that is part
of CSU East that will soon be made into
offices.

All 16 Emergency Call Towers to be Fixed

By Kevin Liles
Editor-in-Chief
kliles@benttreenews.org

Eight of the 16 emergency call towers on campus
are now operational, and
CSU Public Safety Director
Bobby Hamil said the others will soon follow.
“This is has been a
peeve of mine,” Hamil
said in a recent interview,
referring to the towers not
being functional.
The 16 solar-powered
towers were installed about
three years ago to give
students a direct line to
public safety in an emergency. So far, they have
only been used a couple
of times when students
kevin liles/The bent tree
had car trouble. The towAn out-of-order emergency tower
ers started showing signs of

trouble about six months ago.
“They would work fine
during the day, but some
of them would not work
at night,” Hamil said. “The
batteries would not hold a
charge through the night.”
All the batteries were
replaced, but the problems
persisted. Hamil found a vendor in Texas that came out
to work on the units.
“They told me that the
cells were bad in the towers, so I told them to replace
eight of them,” Hamil said.
“I wanted to make sure this
was the problem before going through the expense of
replacing all of them.”
So far, those are working
fine and have had the “temporarily out of service” signs
removed.
Though the towers have

not been used in an emergency situation, Hamil said
he believes they are a great
deterrent for crime on campus. However, he said using
a mobile phone to contact
public safety is quicker than
using the towers.
“During orientation, I tell
all of the students to put
our phone number on speed
dial on their phones,” he
said. “The only problem with
that is if you couldn’t speak,
we wouldn’t know where you
were on campus,” he said.
Some campuses in Georgia
have taken emergency towers
down because they were not
being used, though Hamil did
not indicate whether that is
an option for CSU.
The phone number for CSU
Public Safety is 678-4664050.

A new law that went into effect this
summer loosens some restrictions concerning handguns on campus.
Georgia Senate Bill 308, otherwise
known as the Lawful Carry Act and
sponsored by Sen. Mitch Seabaugh
(R-Sharpsburg), was signed into law by
Gov. Sonny Perdue on June 8. Among
other things, the law allows those who
are legally licensed to carry handguns
in Georgia to bring them on campus, as
long as the gun is secured in a vehicle.
The law also eliminated a buffer than
made it illegal to bring a firearm within
1,000 feet of a college campus.

In an interview, CSU Public Safety
Director Bobby Hamil said he was not
particularly worried
about the
changes.
“I don’t have any
concerns with the law
as it stands,” he said.
“All this law does is
more narrowly define
the locations where
can carry a gun with a
license.”
To obtain a permit to carry a handgun in Georgia, one must be 21 years
old and not be a convicted felon. There
are about 300,000 people licensed to
do so in Georgia.
The University System of Georgia’s
Board of Regents was opposed to the
passage of the law. Twenty-six of the

37 presidents of universities that make
up the University System of Georgia,
including CSU President Dr. Tim Hynes,
signed a letter urging
lawmakers to keep the
law as it stood. The new
legislation would prohibit
guns to be carried in
classroom, dormitories,
research facilities and
athletic events.
Another change in
the law is how licensed
gun carriers would be
charged if they were to
bring the gun outside of
their car, such as in a
building. Previously, such
an act (by a licensed
gun carrier) would be a

felony: Now, it is a misdemeanor.
However, if someone who is not licensed
to carry a handgun is caught bringing
one on campus, that charge remains a
felony.
Hamil said there has not been a
weapons-related arrest since he came
to CSU more than two years ago. The
last incident that may have involved a
weapon was in January of last year.
A student reported seeing someone
walking into the University Center with
what appeared to be a handgun. Hamil
dispatched many officers throughout
campus, but no person with a weapon
was found.
You can view the bill in its entirety here: http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/fulltext/sb308.htm

The sun is shining and the breeze
is mild and cool. Ducks and swans are
waddling past you as you scurry to
your classes. As a CSU student, you
enjoy many of the benefits of being on
our campus and soaking up the tranquility of a picturesque landscape.
But amid that landscape, you may have
noticed the lake in front of the Athletics
& Fitness Center looks like big mud hole.
During the summer there was what
seemed to be a major overhaul done to
the grounds. In this overhaul, a couple of
the lakes needed to be drained and one
in particular, right in front of the Athletics & Fitness Center, which is actually a
retention pond, is still being drained.
Harun Biswas, director of CSU Facilities
Management, explains what is going on.
“Well, there is a difference between a
lake and a retention pond” he said. “Our
lakes are fine and healthy, but we have
to drain our retention ponds in order to
filter out the sediment that collects in
them.”
Though CSU has several lakes, there

are two retention ponds used to assure
the cleanliness of the lakes. The particular retention pond in front of the Athletics & Fitness Center has come up on
its five year (actually its a little overdue)
maintenance and therefore draining it is
necessary in order to dig out the impurities and protect the life that relies on a
clean lake.
In fact, the retention ponds are actually tools used to prevent contamination,
because we all use the ground water for
our cooking and drinking, and some of
us even shower with it. Biswas explained
that this was a process that they do
every five to ten years because it takes
about that long to build up sediment in
the ponds.
“They actually act as a filter for the
big lakes ... which in turn provides water
for the entire campus and surrounding
community,” he said.
For those of you concerned about
the safety of your water, don’t be. The
water that we are using now is ground
water and it has been thoroughly filtered,
and after the pond is drained and fixed,
Biswas says it will be smooth sailing for
another 10-15 years. Hopefully, you won’t
still be working on your undergrad.

brian roberts/The bent tree

As unsightly as the pond in front of the Fitness & Athletics Center is, administrators at CSU say that the draining is necessary. “Our lakes are fine and healthy,
but we have to drain our retention ponds in order to filter out the sediment that
collects in them,” said Huran Biswas, director of Facilities Management.

There are many things that can affect
one’s view of dorm life; from bad roommates to a lousy dorm itself. The dorm
experience may be a scary feeling for
first-time freshmen, or transfer students.
But for myself; it can also become a
great maturity.
“Living in the dorms is a great experience,” said sophomore Broderick
McNeal. “It’s a little taste of what life
is like to live on your own. You have
to learn how to clean up after yourself.
You also learn how to create a budget
and manage your time, and you meet a
lot of new people, like your roommates.”
After hearing that dorm life sounds as
though being cramped in a room with a
stranger might not be the coolest thing,
I was afraid that the dorms here might
be set up that way. Wrong, not here at
Laker Hall, which is nearly brand new
dorms, considering that they are only
three years old.
“We have four rooms to each
unit or room number,” McNeal said.
“There are two people to a side with
two bathrooms, one on each side.”
McNeal explained that the rooms come

with a couch, two tables, a chair, a TV
stand, as well as a microwave, sink and
refrigerator.
“There is a standard chair, bed,
desk, dresser, table, and closet in each
room,” he added.
Now that sound great but, what does
a person do for fun I the dorms?
“There are various activities to do in
the dorms. We got pool, ping pong, volley ball, TV, you can watch movies, play
video games, and cards. My personal favorite is pool. I’m a beast in that game,”
McNeal said.
The dorms sound as though they are
the place to be, but one often wonders
how the resident assistants feel about
life in the dorms. Hanifa Charaniya is
a resident assistant in Laker Hall and
commented on her time as an RA.
“It is a different experience. You
definitely have to know how to multitask and manage your time, we have a
big responsibility.”
Do R.A’s have their own rooms?
“Yes, I definitely like having my
own room and space. I have my own
living room, bedroom, and bathroom.”
What are the RA’s duties exactly?
“We monitor the building; and
make sure all housing policies are followed. We must be there when residents

casey scarborough/The bent tree

Living in the dorms can be an intimidating experience, though it can also
bring some maturity to some.
on our hall need us. They can come
knock on our doors anytime.” “We also
plan programs for the residents each
semester. They are all different programs with different topics. We like to

keep a fun yet educational environment
here.”
Well, dorm life at Laker Hall
sounds great. It is a great place to live
in, be around, and socially flourish in.

Astari Johnson, right talks with FedEx representatives during a part-time job fair
recently in the UC. “This is like having an impromptu job interview,” said Matt
Shelnutt, a senior majoring in biology. Hundreds of students showed up during
the activity period to fill out applications for jobs at FedEx, Wal-Mart, Kaplan, and
Pampered Chef, as well as other vendors.

4

Campus

The Arts & Sciences building recently
got updated.
In addition to the new chairs, tables
and projectors, the second floor rest
rooms are being renovated to meet
standards set by the Americans with
Disabilities Act. The bathrooms on the
first floor renovated for ADA standards
four years ago, said Darren Thomas,
assistant director of Physical Plant
Operations.
“The Arts & Science Building has
only had two makeover repairs since
1969, first in the teacher’s education
classroom in 1996 and another in
1997,” Thomas said.
“All summer long crews worked up
to the day before fall classed putting
in new equipment,” said Dr. Nasser
Momayezi, Dean of the College of Arts
& Sciences. New swivel office chairs,
desks, ceiling tile, paint, state of the
art sound system & podium, overhead
projectors all new added to all nine
classrooms.
“$300,000 was the cost to update
the nine classrooms,” said Momayezi.
“There are plans to add the latest
technology and equipment each sum-

mer until the classrooms are all up to
date throughout CSU campus.”
The upgrades include swivel chairs
with wing backs, wooden blinds, desks
with smart podium; internet access,
plugs, and phone jacks classrooms are
more technology savvy.

jamal el-amin/The bent tree

New high-back chairs, desks with internet connections and electric plug-ins
are a few of the new upgrades to the
Arts & Sciences Building.

Sept. 2010 / VOL. 44 ISSUE 2

www.benttreenews.org

Poll

“I Just got PAID!” - “What are you going to do with CSU Refund?”

Greg Kirk
Sophomore English
“Spending his refund on a car note,
insurance, and bills.
The responsible
things.”`

On Monday, a panel of media professionals and educators discussed how the
First Amendment affects their lives. The event kicked off Constitution Week for
CSU. Pictured, from left, are Dr. Barbara Goodman, a CSU English professor; Ross
Mena, publisher of Kore magazine; Rashid Brown, author; Ashley McIntyre, managing editor of the Campus Carrier, the student newspaper for Berry College; and
L. Michelle Hayes, student media advisor at CSU. A main topic discussed was how
news and opinion can be easily confused in today’s media-saturated environment,
and how both are protected by the First Amendment.

Young Americans for Liberty
gets momentum at CSU
By Breonna Stills

Staff Writer
bstills@benttreenews.org

In 2008, former Libertarian Presidential candidate Ron Paul created
a major movement across America,
including on college campuses, where
students formed organizations under
Students for Ron Paul (SEP). From that
movement, which aimed to expand
personal liberty and restore what they
consider to be the original intention of
the Constitution, Young Americans for
Liberty was born.
Young Americans for Liberty is a
student-run organization with a national mission to train, educate, and
mobilize youth activists “winning on
principle”. Their main goal is to cast
the leaders of tomorrow and reclaim
the policies, candidates, and direction
of the government.

6

Organizations

YAL stands as an educational,
peaceful, political student-run organization that is dedicated to the principles
of liberty and restoring the Constitutions protection of individual liberty.
To inform students about the liberty
movement YAL invite guests to speak
on the importance of freedom, they
also have debates, protests, and film
screenings to promote liberty.
“People tend to think that libertarians are cold-hearted and don’t care
about the poor, just because they
favor private charities and free markets
rather than government welfare and
interventionism, but their wrong,” said
Joe Brown, president of YAL.
The Clayton State organization has
30 members, but there are more than
150 chapters nationwide. Individuals
interested in joining YAL can email
YALCSU@yahoo.com or sign-up at any
YAL event.

Are you a woman interested in the
S.T.E.M. disciplines, i.e., Science Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics?
If so, there is a new organization for
you at Clayton State. WI2STEM, which
self-evidently stands for Women Interested in Science Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, is a new group
at CSU devoted particularly to nurture
women’s interest in those fields.
“There’s a high dropout rate for
females, in particular, because life gets
in the way.” Christine Gardner, Vice
Present of the organization, explained.
“We’ve got dual income families and
adults are returning to education
because the degrees they have aren’t
good enough anymore, so this gives
them a support system to help them to
be successful.”
Founded in January 2009, the group
celebrated its first anniversary last
January and just held its first Annual Symposium on Aug. 26, at CSU’s
Student Activity Center. In the assembly were present a handful of student
members, their faculty affiliates, and
some outside visitors that included a
representative from Georgia Power, who
sponsors some of their ventures.
As part of their annual agenda, the
group creates various activities, including community service, workshops
designed to help students become acclimated with the features of the CSU
campus, both electronic and physical.

They also promote a program termed
Book Bank, in which students donate
books to meet membership fee requirement. In return, according member
Maria Morales-Beale, using the Book
Bank has saved WI2STEM members
over $750 in the 2009/2010 school
year. Since the majority of the members are biology or pre-med majors,
they facilitate shadowing and help
students connect to available doctors
and specialists of their fields. Locally,
they organize outreach program to
help High School students of the area,
especially North Clayton and Stars Mills
High Schools in fields like sciences and
computer science and gaming.
“We basically provide a support
system for people trying to accomplish
their goals.” Christine added.
The organization currently has around
60 to 80 members. Because of the
diversity of the group, however, and
the variety of subjects it treats, members are only “asked to come to two
meetings and one event per semester,”
according to Ms. Gardner.
This year, again, WI2STEM looks to
make an impact in the life of men
and especially women at CSU and by
promoting “an increased knowledge of
and greater interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math majors,”
as states their mission. After winning
last year’s Campus Life New Student
Organization Award, the Faculty Adviser
of the Year Award, in the person of Dr.
Mary Hudacheck-Buswell, and the New
Program of the Year Award, they are
well on their way.
brian roberts/
The bent tree

Dr. Yvette Gardner,
assistant professor
of biology at CSU,
speaks recently at
Wi2STEM’s first annual
symposium, held at
the Student Activities
Center. “There’s a
high dropout rate for
females, in particular,
because life gets in
the way.” Christine
Gardner, Vice Present
of the organization,
explained. “We’ve
got dual income
families and adults are
returning to education
because the degrees
they have aren’t good
enough anymore, so
this gives them a support system to help
them to be successful.”

Sept. 2010 / VOL. 44 ISSUE 2

www.benttreenews.org

SAAB Seeks to Help Black Men Graduate
By John Zinko

Managing Editor
jzinko@benttreenews.org

The Student African American
Brotherhood (SAAB) is an organization designed to help maximize the
collegiate experience by focusing on
the specific needs of young African
American males.
“Research shows African American
males drop out of college by their
sophomore year because they feel
there are not enough resources
culturally sensitive to their social
issues,” said Hassan K. Bahar, public
relations chair for SAAB.

Bahar became a part of SAAB
after being introduced to the organization by Brandon “Bubba” McKinnon. “I joined the group after my
first meeting last spring,” said Bahar.
SAAB began in 1991, and has
spread its influence nationwide.
SAAB came into existence at CSU
last spring, and has already gained
17 members, including President
Colby Wilson and Vice President
Thomas.
SAAB does not believe in spreading the word through mass emails,
but rather allows other members to
seek out those with certain characteristics to come join the group and

seek help.
“We want quality members over
quantity,” said Bahar. “Ideally, we
want someone to come back in five
years and testify how SAAB helped
them through their collegiate experience.”
SAAB is not a fraternity in that
there is a “come as you are” attitude, allowing all those interested
in being a part of the group as
frequently or infrequently as they
choose.
SAAB holds general interest meetings in Laker Hall every Tuesday at
5 p.m., with a study session afterwards, where members help tutor

those who request extra help in
their studies.
On Oct. 12, 13, and 14, SAAB will
be hosting a Men’s Awareness Event.
There will be panel discussions
about male issues, particularly issues men typically don’t like talking
about, Bahar said.
The group is also planning a
basketball tournament with the SAAB
executive members and group members, as well as a discussion about
media images and how they affect
men.

Jagged Edges: Raising Awareness About Self-Mutilation
By Andrea Caine

Contributing Writer
acaine@student.clayton.edu

People who hurt themselves need
love too.
A new organization, Jagged Edges,
was formed on campus to help
raise awareness for people who selfmutilate.
“Jagged Edges is the only self help
and awareness group here on campus,” said Lauren Hobbs, president
of the newly formed organization.
Although it is Clayton States first
self help and awareness group here
on campus, it did not start here on
campus. Jagged Edges started on
the social website MySpace in 2003.

Hobbs started the organization here
last semester.
“We started with 15 members and
doubled from spring semester,”
Hobbs said. She added that she
and other members of the organization would like to take it to other
campuses around the nation.
Jagged Edges works very close with
the Counseling and Psychological services here at Clayton State.
Hobbs said the symptoms of people
who self mutilate is that they often
wear long sleeves and pants, even
when the weather is not suitable
to do so. Another symptoms is
that the person does not want to
be touched and has unexplainable
injuries.

When asked what the myths are
about self-mutilators, Hobbs responded, “Everyone is Emo, Goth
or suicidal, which is not true. Selfhurting is a coping mechanism.”
Hobbs explained that she was once
a self-mutilator. “It stemmed from
an anxiety disorder I had as a child
that was never treated,” she said. “I
was also in a few abusive relationships.”
The counselors and psychologists
here at CSU are prepared to help
people who self-mutilate, but that
may not always be the case off
campus. Hobbs said that the first
time she shared her self-mutilation
with a psychologist, she was committed for three days.

If you want to get help for someone
who self-mutilates, you can contact
Jagged Edges or the Counseling
and Psychological department.
“We support people safely with
grace and care,” Hobbs said. “We
are primarily here to break the
silence. We are here to talk about
it and let people know you’re not
crazy.”
Hobbs added that self-mutilation is
nothing new.“It dates back to Biblical times, when Mark cut himself
with stones,” she said. She feels like
people often try to hide from the
situation but Jagged Edges is here
to shine a light on self-mutilation
and help anyone in need.

brian roberts/The bent tree

The Student Involvement
Fair, held last month outside the Student Activities
Center, allowed students
the opportunity to learn
more about organizations on campus (and get
free SWAG). It also gave
organizations a chance
to explain their purpose
and recruit new members.
Several hundred students
turned out for the event.

Sept. 2010 / VOL. 44 ISSUE 2

Organizations

7

www.benttreenews.org

Sports

See more pictures from the games at:
benttreenews.org/sportphotos

Men’s Soccer Team Starts Season 4-0

By Alex Molina

Staff Writer
amolina@benttreenews.org

This past Saturday, the men’s Laker
soccer team defeated Brevard University at Laker Field. They won 61, building their record to 4-0.
The last time they started the season 4-0 was in 2002. The next
game will be this Wednesday, at home,
against Erskine College. Erskine College
is 2-0.
When asked how he feels about how
his team and how he feels he did in
the past games, Ryan Pugh, a junior,
responded, “It feels good and raw. But
there is still a lot of work that still
needs to be done. I played alright, but
there is still tweaking to be done. I
did OK. No major disappointment. I’m
looking forward to step it up by doing
extra work outside of practice. “
How are the men preparing for
Wednesday’s game? Well, they are
going finding ways to get better and
studying the opposing team. So, if
you’re near Laker Field and see the
men listening to their iPods, jumping
around, and getting loose, you
know it’s the men getting ready.
The team and coach appreciate everyone who has been coming out and
supporting the men.
Also, if you are at the game and by
chance hear “Tu Lao Mao Mao,” it’s
just an African saying
that the Men say after a win. It means,
“Chill Out.”

casey scarborough/The bent tree

The Laker men’s soccer team is all smiles after defeating Brevard University last weekend, making them undefeated so far this season. The men will play again at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday against Eskrine College. The game is at
home. For a complete schedule, visit www.athletics.clayton.edu.
casey scarborough/
The bent tree

T.O. Totty, head
coach for the
Women’s soccer
team, achieved a
career milestone
last weekend: his
100th win. Totty
has been at CSU
for 13 seasons.
The next game
for the women is
this Wednesday at
North Alabama.

8

Sports

Head Coach Totty Hits the 100 Mark
Courtesy of Clayton State Athletics

The patience paid off for the Clayton
State Laker women’s soccer team,
and head coach T.O. Totty reached
a big milestone in the process on
Saturday.
Spearheaded by the stellar play of
forward Cherie Sayon, Clayton State
evened its record at 1-1 with an
impressive 6-2 victory over visiting
Brevard in the Lakers’ home opener
at Laker Field. The victory was the
100th in the Clayton State career for
Totty, now in his 13th season at the
Laker helm. In addition, it was the
most goals in a game for Clayton
State since the 2006 season.

Sayon was the key component in
the Totty milestone. The senior scored
a career-high four goals, just missing
tying the Clayton State single-game
mark of five, held by former All-American Olaitan Yusuf in 2004.
Three of Sayon’s goals came in the
first half. She scored in the 15th minute off an incoming pass from Natalia
Valentine to give Clayton State a 1-0
lead. Eight minutes later, Sayon struck
again, scoring again on a breakaway
off a pass from the back from Erica
Ortega. She gave the Lakers a 4-0
lead in the 32nd minute with a shot
from the top of the penalty box off a
cross from Jennifer Dreasler.
Sayon’s last goal came in the 53rd

minute when she scored again on a
breakaway off a double-assist from
Omotayo Adeshigbin and Maggie
Mueller. The other two Laker goals
came from Valentine in the 31st minute off an assist by Sayon and from
Caitlin Clark in the 52nd minute off
an assist by Mueller.
Brevard’s two goals came from Nikki
Peacock with one second remaining in
the first half, and from Elena Crowe
from the right side of the penalty
box in the 71st minute. Clayton State
goalkeepers Stefania Cola and Leanne
Hilton-Clarke combined for four saves
in the victory. The Lakers out-shot
Brevard (2-2) 20-12.

Sept. 2010 / VOL. 44 ISSUE 2

Calendar
September 11
‘Run Through Wonderland’ - 5K race(8 a.m.), a 5K
walk(9 a.m.), and a 1 mile tot trot(10:30 a.m.) to fund research to find a cure to ovarian cancer through the Ovarian
Cancer National Alliance. Starts outside Student Activity
Center (SAC).

September 16
“Technology and Our Brains” free lunch - The New York
Times Talk. 11:30 am - 12:30 p.m. University Center UC322
“Appointed Generation”, performed by The Clayton State
University gospel choir on the Clayton State campus for
the first time in two years. Free and open to the public.
7:00 p.m.. Arts & Sciences Building G132 - Theater
September 30 - October 2
Presidential Inauguration Events -the most important
event will be the Investiture Ceremony at 10:30 a.m. on the
first of October 2010 in the University’s Athletics & Fitness
Center day of community service, entitled “Clayton State
Cares” on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2010.

‘The Cove’ Offers Sobering Reality of the Fate of Dolphins
By John Zinko
Columnist

Every September thousands of dolphins are trapped and slaughtered by
Japanese whalers in a little town known
as Taiji.
What’s worse than
the merciless
slaughter of one of
the world’s smartest animals is the
fact that no one
in Japan seems to
know it is happening. Ric O’Barry,
a former dolphin
trainer turned activist, produced the
documentary The Cove.
This documentary reveals the hidden
truth behind the month-long slaughter
and why no one is putting an end to it.
O’Barry was the trainer for the famous

dolphin “Flipper” back in the 60’s.
“What turned me around was the
death of “Flipper” (also known as Cathy).
She was really depressed, I could feel it,
could see it. And she committed suicide
in my arms,” O’Barry said in the film.
He goes on to explain that dolphins
are not automatic air breathers and so
Kathy the dolphin took one final breath
and then passed away, sinking to the
bottom of her tank.
O’Barry has since then put forth all
of his efforts to cease the yearly killing
of dolphins. The Cove follows O’Barry,
a few scientists, and Charles Hambleton
an “adrenaline junkie” as they document
the story. This group of people films
their efforts to expose the Japanese
and make attempts to ruin.
After watching this documentary, I
feel that a huge blinder has been lifted
and I wonder what other truths have
been hidden from me. How naive have
I actually been in my seemingly wonderful life? I feel cheated and almost

depressed.
A scene in this documentary will
forever be etched into my mind. It is
toward the end of the documentary
when the team succeeds in tapping the
cove that is harboring these dolphins for
slaughter. Once they pull the footage
and audio there is one scene underwater when the viewer witnesses the first
killings and the water turns from blue to
blood red.
The documentary lasts only an hour
and a half but the impression it leaves
will change the way you look at the
world for the rest of your life.
As I am writing this article across the
ocean dolphins are being gathered right
now to be slaughtered for their meat.
The meat however, isn’t eaten by vast
majority of the Japanese population.
It has been found that the meat of a
dolphin is laced with mercury.
Mercury is the most toxic, non-radioactive element on Earth. Mercury levels
have increased 1-3% every year since

the Industrial Revolution due to the
burning of fossil fuels.
Roger Paine of the Ocean Alliance
was quoted on the level of mercury in
dolphins stating, “If you look at bottlenose dolphins, you discover that these
are swimming toxic dump sites.”
Dolphins pose no threat to humans
and have actually been documented
saving the lives of men at sea. Yet
upwards of 20,000 dolphins are allowed
to be slaughtered by the Japanese each
year because they are a growing nuisance and considered to be “pests” and
a threat to the fishing industry.
I feel this is an important issue that
should be addressed. And the only way
to address it is to inform those around
me that this type of malicious activity is
going on in our world. Those who want
to get involved can text “DOLPHIN” to
44144.
John is managing editor for The Bent Tree and can
be reached at jzinko@benttreenews.org

The Constitution: From a Libertarian’s Viewpoint
By Joe Brown
Guest Columnist

Constitution Day is observed each
year on Sept. 17, the day the framers signed the completed final draft of
the proposed U.S. Constitution at the
Constitutional Convention in 1787. We
should all take time – especially on
Constitution Day – to put aside what we
have been taught in government schools
about the Constitution and look at information about it that is not so biased
and full of propaganda.
The Articles of Confederation was the
first American constitution, drafted in
1777 shortly after the states seceded
from Britain. It was ratified in 1781.
There were imperfections under the
Articles, such as the lack of free trade
between the states due to states putting
taxes (tariffs) on goods imported from
other states. (Thus the need to regulate,
meaning to make regular through free
trade, commerce among the states.)
The Articles very effectively limited the
power of the U.S. government, but they
were strong enough to defeat the superpower of the time, the British Empire.
The imperfections of the Articles led to
the Constitutional Convention of 1787,

10

Opinion

with the representatives’ only authorized
purpose being to revise the Articles.
However, instead, the delegates held
secret closed-door sessions and wrote a
completely new constitution.
The new U.S. Constitution, meant to
bind and limit government power, gave
more authority to the federal government and made it possible for the
government to break free from
the chains of the Constitution almost immediately after
ratification. This was massive deregulation of the most
dangerous monopoly of all –
the monopoly of force that is
government.
The system of government
was structured and was supposed to work the same way under
both Constitutions. The people and the
states were to be sovereign and almost
completely self-governing, except for the
few specifically stated powers delegated
to the federal government in the Constitution – which mostly pertained to
defending the country’s borders from
invasion and aggressors.
James Madison, known as the father
of the U.S. Constitution, described it as
follows: “The powers delegated by the
proposed Constitution to the federal

government, are few and defined. Those
which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.”
This principle was laid down in the
10th amendment of the Bill of Rights,
which states, “The powers not delegated
to the United States by the Constitution,
nor prohibited by it to the States, are
reserved to the States respectively, or
to the people.” Thomas Jefferson referred to this as the
foundation of the Constitution,
saying “To take a single step
beyond the boundaries thus
specifically drawn around the
powers of Congress, is to take
possession of a boundless field
of power, no longer susceptible
to any definition.”
The conventional wisdom is that the
Constitution is meant to be a living and
breathing document that can evolve
and be re-interpreted to change with
the times. The truth is just the opposite. This makes the Constitution a
dead document, with no ability to limit
government power. A living Constitution
means dead freedoms.
For another example, I quote historian
Thomas Woods’s new book Nullification,
“At Virginia’s ratifying convention, Patrick
Henry raised the concern that phrases

like ‘general welfare’ could be exploited
by ambitious politicians who wanted to
exercise powers beyond those outlined
in Article I Section 8 of the Constitution. Federalist Edmund Randolph, who
had been Virginia’s attorney general for
the past decade, assured everyone that
Henry’s fears were unfounded, for all
rights were declared in the Constitution
to be ‘completely vested in the people,
unless expressly given away.’ … when
‘a question arises with respect to the
legality of any power,’ we need simply
ask, ‘Is it enumerated in the Constitution? … It is otherwise arbitrary and
unconstitutional.’”
So what is the solution for an out of
control government and its unconstitutional “laws”? When the federal government nullifies the Constitution with its
“laws”, states should nullify right back
and interpose to stop those laws from
being enforced. This was what Thomas
Jefferson and James Madison saw as
the rightful remedy. They authored the
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions of
1798 - which said as much - in response to a federal law that banned
writing and speech that was “against the
government”, an obvious violation of the
First Amendment. The General Welfare
clause was
BROWN continued on page 15

Sept. 2010 / VOL. 44 ISSUE 2

www.benttreenews.org

“If You Liked It, You Should
Have Put a Warranty on it.”

This is why the standard 1-year war-

By Chris Baldwin

ranty exists. It covers any problems the

Guest Columnist

manufacturer may have overlooked. After

In the past when I would buy an
expensive item, I’d ponder all the arguments of why I didn’t need a warranty.
I used them all the minute I heard “You

a couple years of usage expect various
parts of the computer to fail.

If the

computer’s warranty has expired then
you will have to pay for any repairs out
of pocket.
Next, compare the value of your computer to the price of the warranty and
repairs.

CSiR is back this year and better than ever!
With a new sound, website, and focus you have to check it out for yourself!
Interested in joining the team? We meet every 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the
month in UC 322

puter and the warranty cost is close to
the computer’s worth, it’s wiser to simply
buy another computer. By the time the
manufacturer’s warranty runs out after

How Do Friends Fall in Love?
By Will Mayers
Columnist

Usually when I go to a play, the
experience is something that is easy
to forget (the part I was awake for
I mean). But the latest play I went
to was fantastic. The play, “How Do
Friends Fall in Love?” was written and
produced by Clayton State’s own Jarvis
Watkins. It was full of colorful characters and brimming with twists that kept
me guessing until the very end. The
play is the story of two best friends
who love each other openly as friends,
but who secretly wants to be lovers.
One of the characters, Jewel, finds
herself in a crisis: she must choose
between going to college or raising her
unborn child. The problem is the only
one who can help her is Ramon, who
was once her best friend before she
alienated him. What will she do? It was
a Jarvis Watkins Productions success,
with nearly 1,000 people attending over
the two nights it showed. The event
was held at the Clayton County Performing Arts Center in Jonesboro. There
BROWN continued from page 14

used to constitutionally justify the act.
Nullification has been used on behalf
of such things as free speech, free
trade, and fighting conscription as well
as the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. It
is still being used today to fight such
things as federal prohibition of marijuana, a National ID card, and the health
insurance mandate, to name a few.
There isn’t much cause for celebra-

Sept. 2010 / VOL. 44 ISSUE 2

were two showings, on August 20 and
21.
I had the wonderful experience of
riding to the show with Watkins. Actually, my roommate was in the play and
we went over to Watkins’ apartment,
where I witnessed the actors getting
their make-up done. After we arrived
at the venue, I was notified that I had
the great pleasure of showing people to
their seats, and passing out programs,
but it was a great experience. The
theatre performance was directed by
Cheryl Booker and hosted by another
Clayton State University student, David
Wilson. The play starred Jarvis Watkins
as Ramon, Chelisa Williams as Jewel,
Verne Ashton as Mr. Edward, Broderick
McNeal as Jeezy.
The play was definitely a grand experience and I would recommend it to
anyone. There will be another showing
in October. There will also be a DVD
released around that time.
Will is staff writer for The Bent Tree and can be
reached at wmayers@benttreenews.org

the first year, that cheap computer
probably isn’t worth repairing.
Inversely, if your computer is an expensive purchase in general it is wise to
should protect your purchase.”

I bought

a moderately expensive TV and declined
I will admit I hate jumping out of the

the parts are more expensive to replace.
if you or anyone who will be near

bed to unplug everything the moment

your computer is a clumsy oaf. Spills,

I hear thunder. Strangely, I don’t do

drops, tumbles and falls are the great

this with computers.

decimators of laptops. If so go for the

Usually computer

warranties save the owner substantial

complete care option that covers user

amounts of money and are well worth

damage too.

the expense. I recognize the value of
warranties

“

seen the prices
of replacement
parts skyrocket

warranty on any computer purchase to

”

to more than a
couple hundred.

for your computer is worthwhile. The
first step is to evaluate how long you
plan to keep it.

Ultimately I’d suggest extending the

If you plan to use
your laptop...long,
it’s a good idea to purchase the extended
warranty.

There are a
tion on Constitution Day, but there is
cause for restoration of the purpose
of the Constitution – putting limits on
government power.

If you bought a cheap com-

Most laptops have an

expected lifespan of two to three years.
If you plan to use your laptop that
long, it’s a good idea to purchase the
extended warranty.

Laptops are man

made and thus prone to failure.

at least another
year if you have
the resources.
A good rule of
thumb is, if you
plan on enjoying
your purchase

for several years, go for the warranty.
Now when I make purchases I often
imagine the sales reps are Beyonce
singing “If you liked it then you should
have put a warranty on it!”
Chris is a technical support specialist at The
HUB, and can be reached at chrisbaldwin@mail.
clayton.edu

Opinion

11

Want to see your advertisement in the Bent Tree?
Contact us for more information at:
678-466-5436 or ads@benttreenews.org